WordFest presents a Dramatic Margaret Atwood Event!
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photo credit George Whiteside Tickets are now on sale for what′s sure to be one of the most impressive literary events of the fall. On the evening of September 29th, at Knox United Church, WordFest will host Can Lit superstar, Margaret Atwood. The event is a unique combination of book launch and a 70 minute dramatic reading with music featuring Ms. Atwood and her upcoming novel The Year of the Flood (McClelland & Stewart). The Year of the Flood is due to be released in September and Ms. Atwood will be available to sign copies after the reading.
September 29th
Knox United Church: 506, 4th Street SW
Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door
Call WordFest: 403.237.9068
Jamaica is a Word
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People hear the word Jamaica and all kind of things come to mind; reggae, Bob Marley, Rastafari, Marcus Garvey, dancehall, white sand beaches, political violence and crime. Revolutionary dub and reggae poet Mutabaruka will discuss what gave rise to these different ideas and how these cultural expressions shape or define what it means to be Jamaican.
Wednesday, July 22nd @ 6:00 pm
Cantos Music Foundation: 134, 11th Ave SE
Tickets and information available through Calgary Folk Music Festival at www.calgaryfolkfest.com or 403.233.0904.
First Calgary Savings Book Rapport New Authors Announced!
First Calgary Savings Book Rapport, the educational programme of WordFest, has an incredible roster of authors for the 2009 Festival (and the list keeps growing). Newly confirmed authors confirmed include:
Hiromi Gotophoto credit: Kiely Ramos Here′s a peak at Hiromi Goto′s wonderfully odd new book Half World:  |
Matthew Skelton |
For more information on the educational programme of WordFest, please call Jodi Guttman or Janet Halls at 403.237.9068 or visit our website at www.bookrapport.com.
Calgary′s Only French Bookstore Saved From Closure
Festival des mots, the French component of WordFest, is delighted to hear that the only French bookstore in Calgary has been saved from closure.
Under the new name Livres La Coste, the bookstore will continue to be a social hub for francophone and francophile Calgarians.
Calling all WordFest Enthusiasts!
WordFest is looking for volunteers. If you love books, writers and all things ‘words′ then come join our team of incredible volunteers for this year′s Festival.
2008 volunteers will be happy to hear that Ellen has joined the WordFest team to once again lead our group of volunteers. Feel free to send Ellen a note at volunteers@wordfest.com.
Alberta Magazine Wins Big Award
Alberta Views won Magazine of the Year at the 32nd annual National Magazine Awards in Toronto on Friday, June 5th, 2009. This fresh, thought provoking magazine showcases some of Alberta′s best writers, artists, thinkers and researchers.
Mention our name (WordFest) when you sign up for a one year subscription with Alberta Views and you can help us raise money to bring readers and writers together at our annual Festival.
WordFest hosts John Irving!
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photo credit: Nicole Dancel WordFest is excited to present a special
event with John Irving, one of the best-known and best-loved authors
of the English language. On October 21st, John Irving will
be presenting his twelfth and newest novel, Last Night in Twisted
River. Have a look at this video
clip where Irving talks about the inspiration for this story and
his eccentric writing process.
October 21st
John Dutton Theatre: Calgary Public Library
Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door
Call WordFest: 403.237.9068
WordFest confirmed author hits Oprah′s 2009 Summer Reading List
WordFest 2009 confirmed author, Hal Niedzviecki, is highlighted in the July edition of O Magazine and on Oprah.com for his new novel The Peep Diaries: How we′re learning to love watching ourselves and our neighbours (City Lights). Niedzviecki′s The Peep Diaries made Oprah′s 2009 Summer Reading List and the 25 Books You Can′t Put Down list. Niedzviecki will take part in WordFest 2009 from October 13-18.
Some of you may remember Hal as the WordFest 2007 blogger and you may check his blog on our site at wordfest.com.
WordFest passes are now on sale!
Call WordFest at 403.237.9068
WordFest Alumni News
WordFest alumni Joseph Boyden and Margaret
Atwood were among the winners at Canadian Booksellers Association′s
(CBA′s) Libris Awards 2009 Presentation, which took place on June
20, 2009 at the Radisson Admiral Hotel in Toronto. Joseph Boyden
was a double-winner. His critically acclaimed Through Black Spruce
(Penguin Group Canada)
won the Fiction Book of the Year Award and he also won Author of the
Year for his outstanding literary work, contribution to Canadian culture
and support to the bookselling industry. Margaret Atwood′s
thoughtful take on the concept of debt, Payback: Debt and the Shadow
Side of Wealth (House
of Anansi Press), won her the Best Non-fiction award.
The University of Calgary′s Markin-Flanagan Distinguished Writers
Program in the Faculty of Humanities has named Calgary writer and WordFest
alumnus Marcello Di Cintio as the 2009 – 2010 Markin-Flanagan
Canadian Writer-in-Residence. This distinguished Calgarian writer will
be in residence from August 15, 2009 to June 15, 2010. WordFest is waiting
in anticipation to see further successes and publications by this award-winning
author and WordFest alumnus.
Congratulations to returning alumna, Dominique Demers, who has won the celebrated Prix Québec/Wallonie-Bruxelles de littérature jeunesse 2009 for her latest work La Grande Quête de Jacob Jobin, Tome 1 – L′élu (Québec Amérique). We look forward to hosting Demers again this year for WordFest 2009.
JonArno Lawson′s book of poetry for children, Inside Out (Walker Books), has made the shortlist for the 2009 CLPE Poetry Award. The winner of the 2009 Award will be announced at a ceremony at the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education on Tuesday, July 7th, 2009.This award highlights an important branch of children′s literature and we wish to congratulate this 2008 WordFest alumnus on his nomination.
Congratulations to WordFest 2005 novelist Tim Winton who won Australia′s most prestigious literary prize, the Miles Franklin Award, for the fourth time. Winton won the award, with a cash prize equivalent of $38,000 Canadian on Thursday, June 18, 2009 for his bestselling novel, Breath (Penguin Australia).
Patrick Lane, B.C. poet and debut novelist, has been nominated for Canada′s Amazon.ca First Novel Award. His new novel, Red Dog, Red Dog (McClelland & Stewart), is one of six books shortlisted for this award which recognizes the outstanding achievement of Canadian first-time novelists.
With all this exciting news from past WordFest alumni, we are excited to see what successes are brought to this year′s incredible roster of artists.
Around Town
Calgary Folk Music Festival
Get your annual music and culture fix at the 30th annual Calgary Folk Music Festival. See over 62 artists from 13 countries on 7 stages.
July 23rd – 26th
Prince′s Island Park
A Panel Discussion on the Book
Join Community experts for a lively talk on the renaissance of the book.
Tuesday, September 8th @ 12:00 – 1:30 PM
Central Public Library, John Dutton Theatre
616 Macleod Trail SE
An Evening with Alberto Manguel
Tuesday, September 8th @ 7:00 – 8:30 PM
Central Public Library, John Dutton Theatre
616 Macleod Trail SE
Bringing readers and
writers together!
wordfest.com . bookrapport.com
P: 403.237.9068 | F: 403.237.9093
P.O. Box 20024 RPO Bow Valley, Calgary, AB T2P 4H3